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Good cultural practices should be preserved -First Lady
2006-09-05 08:16:28
By Special Correspondent, Mbabane
African societies should preserve and maintain good cultural practices and traditions instrumental in shaping youths to become responsible citizens, the First Lady, Salma Kikwete, has said.
Speaking in the Swaziland capital, Mbabane, the First Lady said good cultural practices would enable the youths contribute effectively to the development of their respective nations.
She said this during a special dinner hosted for her by Swaziland’s Queen Mother, Indlovukazi at Lozitha Royal Palace in Swaziland at the weekend prior to the annual Reed Dance celebrations held later and attended by thousands of people from Swaziland and other countries.
Apart from grooming the youths into becoming good citizens, the First Lady said Swazi traditional values and norms encourage young girls to abstain from sex until they get married, a factor that is also instrumental in protecting them from contracting the deadly HIV virus.
The Reed Dance itself encourages the young girls to abstain from sex knowing that if they are not virgins they will not be allowed to participate. This also prevents them from contracting HIV/Aids, she said.
On the Reed Dance She said she likes it due to the fact that it unites maidens from rich and poor families giving them an opportunity to socialize and work together, adding that it teaches girls to adhere to their traditional tribal values and norms.
’’I was impressed to see the first daughter of the King, the princess leading her fellow girls in the Reed cutting ceremony.
Allow me once again to contratulate you and your government for being very creative using culture, arts and crafts to promote tourism in your country’’, she said.
The First Lady thanked the Queen Mother
for inviting her to Swaziland saying the visit has been an eye opener to many things especially development projects she saw that aim at empowering the poor to improving their standards of living and subsequently of their respective families.
Speaking during the same occasion using Seswati, Swaziland’s national language, the Queen Mother thanked Mama Kikwete for honouring her invitation saying that such visits help cement relations of the two countries that existed for decades.
The Queen Mother accepted the invitation to visit Tanzania saying the two countries have a lot to learn from one another especially on women empowerment and effective programmes to protect young girls from combating the deadly HIV/Aids virus.
In his introductory remarks, Swaziland’s Prime Minister Absalom Themba Dlamini said Mama Kikwete’s visit and that of President Jakaya Kikwete few weeks ago was an indication of warm and cordial relationship that existed between the two nations.
The Prime Minister further said that SADC member states should establish cultural regional forums and create a competition for cultural activities with the aim to harmonise cultural activities and promote tourism in the region.
Yesterday (Sunday), King Mswati II presided over the colourful Reed Dance ceremony in which young maidens (virgins) brought to the royal household the reeds they had cut prior to great cultural day the Umhlanga.
The culture of the Reed Dance is meant to encourage young girls to preserve their chastity until marriage.
The First Lady, The Queen Mother, the Queens led by Inkhosikati la Matsebula and diplomats were among the dignitaries who attended the Reed ceremony that was held at the Ludzidzini Royal Residence and lasted the whole day.
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